Artist: MAGNUM
Album: ESCAPE FROM THE SHADOW GARDEN VINYL (2LP+CD)

Year: 2014/ 2019
EAN/UPS: 886922689758
Media type: LP

Not only musicians and freelance artists know this phenomenon: it’s impossible to deliver top creative performances at the push of a button. You need peace, leisure, and – most of all – a certain amount of serenity to create truly great works of art. “We used to be under permanent pressure from our record companies,” says Magnum mastermind Tony Clarkin. “They kept calling us, demanding hit singles and radio numbers. But that sort of thing doesn’t work on demand. Now we’re with SPV, where it’s a totally different situation. They give us the necessary time and trust us to do the right thing. That’s probably the reason why I enjoy working with Magnum again.”

Clarkin’s regained joy in his band is omnipresent on the latest Magnum offering, Escape From The Shadow Garden. Just like his simple yet logical work ethos: “I simply told myself: you’re a passable guitarist, so you should play the guitar. As the band’s guitarist and producer, I have all the freedom I need to create exactly what I feel like creating.”  The result of his latest burst of creativity consists of eleven wonderfully melodic rock songs which blend all the typical Magnum ingredients, sounding in a fascinating way both timeless and classic. “This band has certain unmistakable trademarks,” Clarkin explains. “Among them are my feel for melodies and Bob’s unique vocal style.”

Only a month after the release of its predecessor, On The 13th Day, Clarkin started with the preparations for Escape From The Shadow Garden – as always an exciting phase in his life. “Before you haven’t recorded and mixed every single note, you never really know whether you’ll be happy with the result. When I heard the final version of the eleven new songs with their different stories and diverse arrangements, I knew it had turned into an impressive and complete album. Together with the great cover artwork designed by Rodney Matthews (Asia, Nazareth, Eloy), this is a release which forges an arch to the early days of Magnum’s career. And that’s wonderful! I was really happy when my friend Jimmy Lea of Slade came to visit me at the studio again and said: ‘You’ve done it again?’ It doesn’t matter whether by sheer luck or hard work – life could have gone a totally differently way.”

On the following On The 13th Day and the brand new Escape From The Shadow Garden Magnum more than stepped up to the plate to deliver an even more accomplished body of work than ever before! Already one month after the release of their current album magnum, together with saga are scheduled to embark on a tour of Germany. Clarkin: “And again things have come full circle, because Jim Crichton and Michael Sadler were guest musicians on Goodnight L.A. It’s great to meet them again.”

LP 1 Side One:

1.      Live ‘Til You Die
2.      Unwritten Sacrifice
3.      Falling For The Big Plan

LP 1 Side Two:

1.      Crying In The Rain
2.      Too Many Clowns
3.      Midnight Angel

LP 2 Side One:

1.      The Art Of Compromise
2.      Don’t Fall Asleep
3.      Wisdom’s Had Its Day

LP 1 Side Two:

10.   Burning River
11.   The Valley Of Tears
12. Dance Of The Black Tattoo (live) – bonus track

TRACKLIST CD:

1.      Live ‘Til You Die
2.      Unwritten Sacrifice
3.      Falling For The Big Plan
4.      Crying In The Rain
5.      Too Many Clowns
6.      Midnight Angel
7.      The Art Of Compromise
8.      Don’t Fall Asleep
9.      Wisdom’s Had Its Day
10.   Burning River
11.   The Valley Of Tears

LINE-UP:

Tony Clarkin - guitars
Bob Catley - vocals
Mark Stanway - keyboards
Al Barrow - bass
Harry James – drums